Broncos HC Explains Why Signing RB J.K. Dobbins Was 'Important'

With the exception of wide receiver A.T. Perry, the Denver Broncos had one of the "cleaner" report dates for training camp that head coach Sean Payton has seen. Fielding a healthy team this early in the season, and at any point, is always a priority, but it's especially encouraging this year, considering the history of four of Denver's five key free-agent signings.

Running back J.K. Dobbins may have been the most recent free agent to sign with the Broncos, but he could go on to be one of the key additions of this offseason. A 2020 second-round pick of the Baltimore Ravens, Dobbins' initial career trajectory was derailed by multiple injuries, which saw him land with the Los Angeles Chargers last season, where he produced a career year.

Despite rushing for 906 yards and nine touchdowns, the Chargers didn't prioritize bringing Dobbins back. The Broncos signed him during the team's mandatory minicamp back in June — the final workout of the offseason training program.

With the veterans reporting to training camp on Tuesday, Payton talked about how "important" it was to get Dobbins in the fold.

"I think it was important. He's got the playbook for the five weeks he's not here," Payton said of Dobbins on Wednesday. "He's a quick study. He's been in two offenses, and he's someone who's smart. So it was good to get him in here. I think it was important."

For his career, Dobbins has rushed for 2,252 yards on 429 carries (5.2 avg), with 21 touchdowns. He's also caught 59 passes for 330 yards and one score. These are all regular-season stats.

However, what many Broncos fans may not know about Dobbins is that his 5.2 yards-per-carry career rushing average is the second-highest among all NFL running backs (with at least 452 attempts). On top of that, his 'big play' rushing percentage — which amounts to the number of rushes of 10-plus yards — is the third-highest among all backs since 2020.

The Broncos absolutely knew what they were doing by signing Dobbins to a one-year deal worth up to $2 million. The Broncos prioritized explosiveness in their backfield this year, drafting RJ Harvey in the second round — the second-most-explosive running back in the FBS last year behind only Ashton Jeanty — and signing Dobbins.

Dobbins will also help provide some veteran leadership to the Broncos' running back stable. It's safe to assume that Dobbins and Harvey will make up the team's one-two punch at running back.